Illusion is the reality putting in blacklight mini-golf course

By Stacy Parker

Correspondent

OCEANFRONT

Sinking a putt at an indoor 3-D blacklight mini-golf is a challenge to a player's reliance on hand-eye coordination. The illusion of depth keeps mini-golfers on their toes throughout the 10-hole course on 25th Street.

King Neptune's Indoor 3-D Blacklight Mini-Golf features an underwater wonderland of glowing orange, yellow and pink sea turtles, fish, dolphins and whales, that, when one wears the special glasses, appear to be coming out of the walls, floor and ceilings.

"With these glasses everything comes toward you," said Douglas Dunaway, 60, who was visiting Virginia Beach from Kentucky with his family. They were looking for a cool escape from a hot summer day when they came across a coupon for the mini-golf.

His son-in-law, Todd Daves, 25, was trying to get a grip on the illusions when his fluorescent golf ball hit an obstacle on a ramp. Even the head of the putters are painted so that when a player gets into position, it appears that the club is not level with the floor.

"You can't judge distances at all," said Daves.

Mark Brownell, former owner of the Haunted Fun House on 25th Street and Atlantic Avenue, moved to the west corner of the block to open King Neptune's mini-golf.

Brownell, who lives in Wolfsnare Plantation, retired from the Haunted Fun House gig after 21 years. He also operated the Atlantic Beach Club, a live music/dance hall, and held a season or two of blacklight mini-golf at the former location.

Brownell partnered with local mural artists and brothers Todd and Eric Lindbergh of T.A.L.E.N.T. Murals for the mini-golf business. The under-the-sea theme at King Neptune's was designed and painted by the artists. Brownell mapped out the course and manages the day-to-day operations.

It took about 30 days for the Lindbergh brothers to paint the course scenes in the theme of "The Lost City of Atlantis."

"The work they did here is unbelievable," Brownell said. "There's a trick to layering the paint. When you put the glasses on it gives you the depth."

Todd Lindbergh described how the placement of colors made the difference.

When looking at the color red through the glasses, it appears to come out of the wall three to six feet. Blue figures appear to go back into the wall the same distance.

"That's what gives all the optical illusion," he said.

It costs $6 per person to play and can take about 30 minutes to complete 10 holes. Night hours are busier and can take longer. Reservations for private birthday parties cost $125 for two hours.

King Neptune's mini-golf opened in late March and will remain open throughout the year.

"Everything is designed to get a hole-in-one if you really try," Brownell said.

Stacy Parker, stacyparker@cox.net